The Strength Of Love
by LiveFearlessly
Summary: **Spoilers for 100th ep. It's been a little over a year since Booth confessed his love for her and he is now engaged. He asks her a favour and she agrees. Will he go through with it? Or will his love for Bones be stronger?
1. Chapter 1

_He had confessed his love a little over a year ago. _

"Hey, squint squad. What's new?" Booth asked walking in happily.

"Nothing really. Why are _you _so happy?" Angela asked with a smile.

"Getting married!"

"What?!" Angela asked, "No!"

"Jeez, thought you'd be happier for me."

"Oh, no, I am. Don't get me wrong. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"Just…I was so certain that you'd marry Bren…"

He sighed, "Me too, Ange. But it's not gonna happen. I had to move on…and I finally have. I'd appreciate it if you all were happy for me." He said to the squints.

"We are, Booth. We are." Angela smiled and hugged him. "I want you to be happy, sweetie."

"Alright, so I'm gonna go tell Bones." He said heading towards her office.

"Oh god, how do you think she's gonna take it?" Angela asked Cam.

"No idea," Cam replied, "Not good."

"She's gonna try to compartmentalize it and she's gonna think that she's losing him. It's just gonna be a mess."

"Oh god."

"Hey, Bones!" Booth said as he walked into her office to find her sitting at her desk.

"Hey, Booth. Can I help you?"

"Nah, just here on a social visit."

"Oh, well as nice as that sounds, I have a lot of work to do."

"Oh, well I wanted to tell you my good news."

"Sure," She smiled, "What is it?" She asked standing up.

"I'm engaged!"

"Yeah?"

He nodded still with a smile on his face.

"Oh…well that's…that's…congratulations." She said hugging him. He hugged back and she held on tight.

"I'm happy for you," She said as the tears fell.

"Are you crying?" He asked.

"Yes. I am very happy for you."

"Oh…I see."

She pulled back.

"Give my regards to your fiancé." She said as she started working again.

"Bones, there's something else."

"What?"

"I want you to walk me down the aisle. I mean I know that it's not traditional but my mom won't be there and my dad…well you know."

"You want me to…as they say, give you away?"

"Yeah, if you would."

She paused. Now was her chance to admit her feelings…she didn't.

"Sure, I would be honored," she smiled.

"Thanks, Bones. I'll let you get back to work," he said just before he left. Angela noticed the sadness in Booth's eyes as he walked out of her office and she knew that Brennan didn't tell him how she felt and she was going to let him get married.

Booth loved Catherine, no doubt about that, but she wasn't _Bones._ He lost his heart to Bones the day that he met her and he never got it back. She was his one. His one love of his life. He only moved on because he had to. But when he said _moved on, _he meant just act like he moved on. He was never able to move on. Every time he saw her, he still got chills and she took his breath away. Every time he brushed hands with her or shoulders, he felt like he had gotten shocked.


	2. Authors Note

Authors Note

The story is getting rushed, and I apologize but I want to finish up most of my stories. I don't have a lot of time for writing as of late so I apologize for not updating. I hope the story still turns out good. Reviews are always appreciated.

xoxo

Thanks.


	3. Rehearsal

That day, work went by slow for Brennan. During work, the only thing she seemed to be able to think about was Booth and Catherine. She was preoccupied and lost count of all the times someone had to snap her out of deep thought.

They went through the week. They didn't go out to the diner, they didn't order in, the only time they spent time together outside of work was while doing paperwork. Both wanted to say something but neither did.

It was now the time for the rehearsal dinner. Everyone was there. Booth sat beside Brennan and his fiancé. Angela, Cam and Daisy sat on Catherine's side, while the three other guys sat on Booth's side with Brennan. While Booth and Catherine were talking to the priest, Brennan, and the rest of the squints stood talking. Brennan finished a class of wine.

"Whoa, Bren, you okay there?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"Hmm, I don't know, but you just downed a whole glass of wine."

"I'm fine, Angela."

After a few more glasses, the wedding rehearsal was over and Booth walked up to a lonely Brennan.

"Hey, Bones. You have fun?"

"Yes, although, I'm running out of wine." She stumbled a little.

"Oh, I think you've had enough." He laughed.

"Nah, I could drink a lot more."

"Here, let's get you home."

"Alright."

Booth and Catherine drove Brennan home. He walked her upstairs, got her into bed and left.

The weekend arrived fast and Booth spent it with Parker. He informed Parker of his decision to marry Catherine and Parker seemed thrilled for the most part.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Why aren't you marrying Dr. Bones?"

Booth sighed, "Because we're best friends. We're not in love."

"Dad, I'm old enough to understand when 2 people love each other and you and Dr. Bones love each other. I wanted you 2 to get married."

"Yeah, me too, buddy. Me too but it isn't happening. Besides, you like Catherine, don't you?"

"Yeah, she's awesome."

Booth messed up Parkers hair and hugged him.


	4. Tux Shopping and Bonding

On Monday, he walked into the lab to find them all working as usual.

"Hey, Bones. Mind if you come somewhere after work with me? I could use your help."

"Where? And why?"

"I need to get a nice tux for the wedding. I want your opinion."

"Oh…okay, I guess I can do that."

It was unusual, but they did not have a case that day. So work ended a lot sooner than usual.

They got to the store and he tried on a few tuxes. He came out in one.

She noted how attractive he looked. "I like that one. It's very nice."

"Yeah?" She stood up to fix his tie.

"Yes, a lot." They were in close proximity to one another until she looked down and backed up, "I'd go with that one."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, it's a good one."

The next few days, they worked a case, solved it successfully and by the time Friday hit, Booth was officially off duty for the next few weeks. He took a few weeks off in order to have the wedding and go on a honeymoon.


	5. Discussion

The night before the wedding, Angela stayed at Brennan's apartment. They decided to have a night in, in order to prepare for the wedding early the next day.

"so, drop all the crap and tell me why you're letting the man you love get married to another woman?"

"I don't love Booth, Angela."

"Bren, you just looked away. If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love him, then I'll leave it alone. But I bet you can't."

"Ange, please don't do this."

"Sweetie, just hear me out. I love you and love how you are. I respect how you are. You want to find all the rationalities life has to offer because those things are the only things you seem to be able to rely on. Your childhood was difficult and I'm sorry about that, but you can't shut down just because of it. Not everything in the world has to make sense. And love, sweetie, love is one of those things that will _never _make sense. _Never. _Now, Booth is a good man and I know that you think you are doing the right thing here, but Booth loves _you. _And I think he would want to know how you truly feel before he gets married."

"Booth deserves better then I can give him. I can't lose him, Angela. You and him can tell me as many times as you want that he won't leave me and I know that he probably wont, but if we did start dating, and I messed up somehow which I always do in relationships, neither of you can guarantee that it will all be okay."

"Sweetie, love is about taking risks. Chancing it. But what I do know and I _can _guarantee you, is that Booth is _never _going to leave you. Booth loves you how you are. He wouldn't change a thing. He's already in love with you so stop trying to say that he deserves better then you. Just think about this honey."

They both fell asleep.


	6. Confession

The next day, they both woke up and got ready to go. They arrived at the church a few hours before the wedding in order to help set up.

Booth stood in front of the window doing his tie when there came a knock on the door.

"Come in," He called staring at the door to see who it was. The door opened and in walked Brennan. She had a dress on and her hair curled. He was speechless for a matter of minutes.

"Can I talk to you?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, of course. Should I sit?"

"I don't think it matters whether you sit or stand."

"Alright…" He said taking a seat on the desk next to him, one leg up on a chair, "What is it?"

"First of all, I would like you to know that I am glad for you and I am happy that you are happy. And that I want nothing more for you then to be happy. Please know that."

He nodded.

"Do you remember the night…we were leaving Sweets' office? When you told me that you wanted to give us a chance?"

He looked down. Of course he remembered. That was one of the worst nights of his life.

"Yeah, think about that sometimes. Why?"

"I'm so sorry that I hurt you. I swore to myself that I would never hurt you but I did." Tears started falling down her face.

"Bones-"He said about to stand up and hug her but she stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"No, please. Just let me say this."

He nodded and relaxed a little.

"Although this makes no logical sense, you are everything to me. When you got shot and I thought you died, I cried myself to sleep for 2 straight weeks. I made sure that I was at work as much as I could be because the lab is the one place that makes everything okay as it can be. The lab is the one place that I dare not to cry because I have science all around the lab. The lab balanced me those 2 weeks and everyone knew that I was just stayed there because they knew that I tried to compartmentalize everything and that was correct."

He nodded showing that he was listening.

"Or when you got kidnapped by the Gravedigger. I was so scared that I would lose you. As you said when I got kidnapped, you take one of us away, we don't have anything. That is accurate. I need you, Booth. That whole day, I had to remain as calm as I could be because I didn't want to make any mistakes. Angela said something to me that day. Something that made me forget about everything but you. She said, 'Somebody you love is buried alive! You're allowed to save them no matter how irrational' Right then, I knew that I didn't care if we ever caught the Gravedigger. I didn't care unless I had you to be with."

She paused to cry. He was shocked to see her like this.

"Since I was 15 years old, everyone kept telling me that I was going to be okay and that everything would get better. I didn't believe any them. I spent my teenage years in foster house after foster house. Some families were nice, others neglected me and only wanted the money and others just used me for things. I lost count of all the times that a foster parent has hit me or tried to rape me or didn't take care of me. After that, I knew that if I was going to survive, I couldn't trust anyone. But then I met you. Everything I learnt told me not to trust you but I couldn't avoid you. You pushed your way into my heart and I don't know what I would do if you didn't. I _need _you, Booth. I trust you with everything I have and I don't regret that. You have never betrayed me. Thank you for that."

"Bones…you don't have to thank me. I'd do anything for you."

"And when you told me that you wanted to give us a shot, everything in my heart told me to do it. It told me to be with you and be happy but as I said, I can't change. I wanted the best for you and I wasn't sure that it was me. I didn't want to be with you, and mess up and then lose you because of it."

He was about to talk and say that he would never leave her but she stopped him.

"I _know _that you wouldn't leave me, Booth. I know that. I just didn't want to risk it. Logic held me back. But not anymore. I love you. I _love you._ I realize that this isn't the move convenient time to tell you this but watching you at the rehearsal, watching you with _her, _it only made me realize how much I love you."

"You," he cleared his throat, "you tell me this on the day of my _wedding?_ A year _after _I confess my love for you? A year _after _I risked everything and told you how I felt? Damn it, Bones."

She was crying harder now.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you. I'm _so sorry _but Booth; I love you more than anything. I love you so much. I'm sorry."

"No, I am. Bones. Catherine is a good person. I love her. And the day that you told me that you couldn't change, I never once thought about leaving you. You couldn't change and I couldn't leave you. I couldn't be angry at you. I wanted to be. I _wanted _to be angry at you. I _wanted _a reason to run away and not feel guilty but you were everything to me. And I still stand by that, I'm _never _going to leave you. No matter what happens."

He paused.

"I'm gonna marry Catherine, Bones…but I'll always love you."

She nodded and started crying even harder; something that Booth didn't know was possible since she was already crying really hard.

"I know that," She paused to cry, "I'm happy for you. I want, I want," she placed her hands on his cheeks and he closed his eyes, "I want you to be happy and she is…she is the person that makes that happen." She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes.

"I love you, Booth. Please don't forget that." She kissed his cheek. "And I would do anything for you…but I can't walk you down the aisle. I can't be up there with you…unless it's me you're marrying."

He nodded and looked down.

"Good-bye, Booth." She walked out still crying and he lowered his head and sighed.

Now he wanted to be mad at her. He confessed his love a year ago and only _now _as he is about to get married does she admit her feelings.

Jared, Hodgins and Sweets walked in.

"Booth, almost time. 5 minutes."

Booth cleared his throat, "Okay."

"You okay, man?" Hodgins asked.

"Uh yeah…of course."

"Okay…well, we gotta get out there. You better hurry."

"Yeah, coming." Hodgins, and Sweets left.

"Hey, Bro. You sure you're okay? Shouldn't this be the happiest day of your life?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jared. It is."

"Seeley, when it's the happiest day of your life, you can't stop smiling. You haven't cracked a smile since we walked in here. Now tell me, I'm your brother. What's up?"

"It's just…"

"You still love Temperance." He nodded and Booth looked down.

"Seeley, you're never gonna stop loving her. She's always going to have a piece of your heart, isn't that what you told me when I broke up with my first girlfriend?"

"Yeah…but Jared, I love…I love Catherine, I do…but Bones, she's always be _the one _for me. Just before you came in, she admitted that she loved me."

"Seeley, you need to think about what you want. Who you want. You're supposed to be getting married in 5 minutes."

"I know," He sighed, "I should marry Catherine."

"I think you should do what you need to, Seeley."


	7. Decision Making

Booth nodded and walked out. He went to Catherine's room and knocked on the door.

"Seeley, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to see me."

"We need to talk," He said.

He walked in.

"What is it?"

"Look, Catherine… I love you. You have to know that first of all."

She nodded, "Okay?"

"And I wanted to get married to you when I asked."

"Wanted…past tense. What's wrong?"

"I can't marry you. I'm sorry."

"Because of _her?_"

He sighed and looked down, "She's always going to have precedence in my life…I loved her first. I need her."

Catherine walked up to him and slapped him across the face.

"You tell me this on the day of our wedding. Have a good life, Seeley. For the record, I knew that you would always love her. I just didn't want to believe it."

She walked out.


End file.
